A fire destroyed a church in south suburban Ford Heights on Wednesday afternoon.
Video from news helicopters showed fire shooting through the roof of the True Light Temple of Praise Baptist church at 1602 Drexel Ave., southeast of Cottage Grove Avenue and Route 30.
By 5 p.m., the fire was extinguished and construction crews were demolishing the building. A Chicago Sun-Times photographer saw at least one employee of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at the scene.
The church's pastor, James Morgan, told reporters that two church members were inside doing work when the fire began. They were able to leave safety, he said.
The church has been in the community for nearly 60 years and had been undergoing renovations recently, Morgan said.
Authorities in Ford Heights did not immediately release details about the fire.
Contributing: Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere
